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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Building Life Skills at Home Depot

Life skills are important for all children, but for children with special needs and Cerebral Palsy, they don't always come naturally. So, they have to be taught, taught again, refined, and then mastered.

Home Depot offers a children's program once a month on Saturdays that is free to the surrounding community. The children come, get an orange kids'-sized apron for their very own, and then build the kit for the day. They provide everything... hammers, screw-drivers, wood, Home Depot employees, work space, and most importantly, the assembly instructions!

Kate looks seriously at the instructions.

We have done these days a couple of times. What's even more special for the kids is that their "Papa" (or Grandfather) works at Home Depot, so they get to build these things with him. And, it is teaching the kids to follow the written instructions (or the adult's verbal instructions), use basic tools, and then see the finished project and take it with them. My kids have made helicopters, a caddy, a house piggy bank, and a race car. They enjoy the activities and it is fun to see them work on their projects.

Andy and Papa working together.

Check out your local Home Depot to see when they offer this program! It's a fun Saturday morning activity for the family and teaches children to use basic tools, a life skill that everyone needs to know how to do.